Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson?s (and George Washington's) First Formal Neutrality Instructions on the Outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars (This is the first statement of neutrality, made famous in the book and musical Hamilton, issued the day Washington called a cabinet meeting to get formal opinions from Jefferson, Hamilton and his cabinet on American neutrality, the text approved by Washington himself)

Thomas Jefferson

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In the musical Hamilton, it is depicted in the song "Cabinet Meeting Number 2"?Having just learned of Louis XVI's death: "Secure to our vessels the rights of neutrality, and protect them against all invasions of it"?He asks them to be vigilant to protect American shipping, trade and neutrality and to protect the American flag from being stolen and used against the new nation?The text of these instructions was approved by President Washington, including the emphasis on the need to prevent foreign vessels from illegitimately flying the American flag, and granting consuls the authority to inspect and investigate ships suspected of misrepresenting their nationality??On the first imminent symptoms of rupture among the maritime powers.you will be pleased also?to give no countenance to the usurpation of our flag by foreign vessels, but rather indeed to aid in detecting it, as without bringing to us any advantage, the usurpation will tend to commit us with the belligerent powers, and to subject those vessels which are truly ours to harassing scrutinies in order to distinguish them from the counterfeits.??The Consuls were instructed to send all their correspondence to Jefferson directly, an indication of the importance of the instructionsFollowing the French Revolution, other European monarchies became increasingly alarmed and saw France as a threat to their own internal security. France declared war on Austria as a preemptive measure on April 20, 1792, thus initiating a conflict that included the Habsburg Monarchy, which controlled Hungary as well. Prussia, having allied with Austria that February, declared war on France in June 1792. The execution of French King Louis XVI on January 21, 1793, enraged Europe's monarchical powers and led to a rapid expansion of the anti-French alliance. In early February 1793, France declared war on Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. In March, it declared war on its former ally, Spain. Portugal, Naples, and other states also joined the anti-French coalition in that month. All the great powers on the continent of Europe, except for Russia, were then embroiled in war.The French had also dispatched a new minister, Edmond-Charles Gen?t, who was already on his way to the U.S. to rally support for France.In March 1793, the U.S. government, Washington and Jefferson learned of the death of Louis XVI. At a cabinet meeting on March 12, Washington first raised the question of neutrality. According to Jefferson?s notes, the president asked his cabinet to consider ?whether we should declare our neutrality, or await events.? This was not yet a formal decision, but it put neutrality on the table as the policy to be discussed. Jefferson wanted neutrality observed in practice but without a public proclamation; Hamilton pushed for a formal, public statement.A second meeting took place. On March 22. Jefferson records in his "Anas": ?Mar. 22. The President called a meeting of the heads of departments, in which he proposed for consideration, 1. Whether a proclamation should issue to prevent our citizens from taking part in any hostilities on the seas, with or against any of the belligerent powers. 2. Whether we should receive the minister from the Republic of France. 3. Whether we should not issue a proclamation for the purpose of preventing interferences by our citizens in the war.? The very next day, Hamilton would begin working on his formal draft of the neutrality proclamation.But on March 22, Washington convened his secretaries to ask three urgent questions:1) Should a proclamation issue, warning U.S. citizens not to take part in the war?2) Should the United States receive Gen?t, the new minister from the French Republic?3) How should the U.S. handle its 1778 alliance with France given the changed circumstances?By doing this, Washington was making sure the executive branch had a united policy before Gen?t arrived and before American private adventurers took matters into their own hands.Perhaps at this meeting, Jeff.

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• Title: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson?s (and George Washington's) First Formal Neutrality Instructions on the Outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars (This is the first statement of neutrality, made famous in the book and musical Hamilton, issued the day Washington called a cabinet meeting to get formal opinions from Jefferson, Hamilton and his cabinet on American neutrality, the text approved by Washington himself)
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)